The soul
by NickyDrew
Summary: A dream i had, dragonlance, night threads, hack sign stuff,and KURAMA! lol
1. Default Chapter

A soft light poured into the dark room, covering a 21 year old girl in a grayish glow. She slowly opened her eyes and pushed her blonde hair out of her face. "Maaaaan. 10am again? Blah." Since she was already awake, she just decided to get up. 10 minuets later, she had showered and was completely dressed.  
  
Fire blazed in the skies. Only a slight warning for what was going to happen in a few weeks. A group of four adventures looked up at the blotted sun. The elf sighed and shook his head. The red haired demon sat down and picked at the ground. The dwarf and kinder sat down too. "We better get moving. We don't have too long to rest." The young elf sighed. "May the God's help us all."  
  
"Ello Miss Dayna, woat will it beh today?" Dayna loved the coffee man's accent, too bad she couldn't remember where it was from. She smiled to herself as she took her usual cup of hot vanilla cocoa. This thing was sooo good, especially on a day such as this. Just as she thought that, lightning lit up the whole sky. Dayna shivered and left the hut.  
Man I hate these storms, she thought to herself. So creepy. She sighed and put her hood up. She raced home, hoping not to get too soaked. Throwing the door open, she noticed the room was a mess. "Kylala!!!!" she screamed for her dog. She heard a slight whimper coming from her room. Sensing that something was wrong, she walked slowly and silently, hand on her pepper spray. Her bedroom door hung from the bottom hinge. Kylala was tied up in a corner. The whole place was trashed, almost like... Dayna grabbed her necklace. No impossible. She sniffed the air and walked over to her dog. As she began to untie the golden retriever, she noticed a scrap of paper that didn't have her hand writing on it. The symbols were odd but she could somehow read them. Folding the paper and putting it in her pocket, she finished untying her dog.  
With Kylala racing around happily, she straightened things up. Her jewelry box was lying under her bed, jewelry thrown all around the floor. So they were looking for my necklace, good thing I never take it off. She pulled out the necklace and glanced at it. It was small and round, like a coin. Three sapphires, hung from the bottom, evenly spaced, and a ruby slept in the center. It was the last heirloom of her mother, who had died in a fire when Dayna was only 12.  
She smiled sadly and placed her jewelry box back onto her night stand. Now to fix the door. She looked down at her pendant and then slowly placed it back inside her shirt. I still wonder why they'd want this. Sighing she picked up the second hinge and began to fix the door. She could remember the day she got it like it was yesterday. It was a cold night, exactly like this. Her Mother was lying in the bed, with Dayna holding her hand. The fever had gotten worse. It won't be long now. Her breathing was slowing down and her face was swollen red. The room seemed to spin faster and faster. Lydia, that was her mother's name, began convulsing, then lay still. Dayna held back her tears. That was when she noticed the silver box.  
  
It seemed to glow, brighter and brighter. Dayna blinked to try and clear her mind. No, it wasn't a trick. The light WAS growing. The small child reached out her trembling hand, fearing the light would singe her. She snatched up the box in that final moment, and opened it. The light disappeared and a paper drifted to the floor.  
  
This is what kept me alive all this while. It holds power beyond your reasoning. Our fore mothers were given the power to protect it from evil  
hands. With this, the world can be destroyed. Protect it with your life force, for one day, they will come to claim it. Never let it out of your  
sight dear child, or we all will be driven mad.  
  
Dayna sighed. I guess this was in the fates. 


	2. awakening

The break in had been too much for Dayna so she spent the night at her friend, Geo's house. He was blonde too, and 25. So, with her dog bounding beside her, she made her way up to his apartment, dragging whatever she could put together. Strangely, the storm seemed to stop right as she was leaving her house. She sighed and let herself in, deciding on calling the insurance company to install a security system. Ah well, maybe I'll feel better tomorrow. She laughed to herself and crawled into the pull out bed Geo had set up for her. The smell of rosewood filled the air as she stared into the flames in his fireplace, and, without a warning, she was asleep.  
  
Dayna threw her arm over her face, groaning. Light poured into her closed eyelids. Why the hell would Geo turn on all the lights and pull the shades up when he knew damn well I was sleeping in here. "Fine, I'm up, turn off those damn lights." She muttered. There was no response. She slowly opened her eyes, contorting her face to show the pain of all that light streaming in at once. Blinking, she raised up quickly, realizing she was no longer in Geo's house.  
This must be a dream. A very odd dream. She was laying in the middle of a desert, Kylala at her side. The place was new to her, yet strangely familiar. Spotting a lump a few yards away, she laughed, shaking her head. "Yo Geo!" She shouted to the body, as she started forward. "He still sleeps like a rock." Shaking her head, she rolled him over with her foot. He groaned and rolled over. "Welcome to my dream, fly boy." She said, tossing her hair out of her face. It seemed a slight wind had picked up. "Come on, move ya big lump, I don't wanna be caught in a sand storm." He groaned and dragged himself up. "What the flying freak!" He exclaimed, having finally gotten up. "where the hell are we?" They quickly stumbled out of the desert, before she told him. "My dream, duh." Laughing at him like he was a big buffoon. "Uhhh sweetie, I don't think we're having the same dream." She glared at him. "Nope, this is real." Looking around, he nodded. Dayna pinched herself, and felt a ping of pain, stretch throughout her arm. She then looked down at herself. She was dressed in a silver long sleeved shirt, an elvin over-tunic (with elvin designs of course), dark green tight- like pants, Knee high boots, arm bands, and a green hooded cape. Geo was dressed the same, but with a blue shirt. Raising her hands, she felt pointy ears. That's when she noticed the ring on her right, middle finger. She knew her necklace was still there, but this piece of jewelry, she had never seen. The band was an odd elvish design, with a deep blue stone in the center. Mumbling a few words she didn't even recognize, the ring glowed with a soft blue light, and changed into a staff, wooden, with the elvish design on top, used as cup, holding a deep blue ball. She smiled with satisfaction. Wandering around for a few moments, they wandered into a deep forest. Dayna could feel an unusual presence lingering in the air. Kylala stiffened. It seemed to get stronger the farther they went. Soon the light from the noonday sun, was totally blotted out by trees, and all was dark. They stopped in front of a pillar, covered in moss and ivy. A tall figure stood in the center, covered in shadows.  
  
The presence was demanding, yet easing. "So you are the famous carrier huh?" That voice, I know it. Dayna was sure of it. The voice was that of a male, not too old. It was powerful, and very welcoming. He stepped out of the shadows. He had long red hair, green eyes, and was dressed in a blue outfit with awesome designs. Dayna stared at him. "My name is Kurama." She nodded in recondition, still awestruck. "You are the holder of the secret of the sun. I contacted you in the night and helped you find your powers, to bring you here. We need your help. It seems someone has awaken the dragons, and is attempting to take out the sun." He jumped down and grabbed her hands. "And you, my dear, hold the key to stop it, and start it." She blinked at his words, unable to understand.  
  
Kurama walked ahead, red hair flashing. Dayna was still so confused. Key? Secret of the Sun? Oy, man, this is too much. Sensing her animosity, Kurama turned and looked at her. Seeing him stare into her eyes, Dayna blushed. He smiled and turned back around. "Don't worry, there's nothing to fear." 


	3. meeting

The night was freezing. Wind was whipping around their sleeping bags (which is what they were sleeping in when they woke up in the desert), and the fire kept blowing out. Geo was sound asleep and probably didn't even notice the temperature change. Dayna grabbed the edges of her bad and pulled them above her head. They had lost Kurama a few hours ago, but she knew they were heading due north. She curled up in a ball and yanked the sleeping bag, further around her. Shivering, she fell asleep.  
One last day.. just one last day. Dayna was exhausted, Kylala had passed out more than once, and Geo was dragging excruciatingly slow. They finally came to a clearing with a small creek flowing through. "Thank God the water here isn't polluted like home." Dayna was out of breath and Kylala had already bounded over and was lapping it up. Geo laughed as Kylala splashed him, while darting after several fish. Dayna was filling up her water can, when she herd a noise, her elvin ears perked up. She quickly pulled out an arrow, and strung it in her bow. Geo and Kylala were still making noise, only she was aware. Three figures jumped out of the brush, swords ready. They charged, screaming several different battle cries. One in elvin, and the other two were indecipherable. Dayna braced herself, ready for action. The elf slashed through her arrow, and was close enough to strike. His sword sliced through the air, whistling as it flew. Dayna jumped, and barely dodged it. The dwarf attacked from behind at that precise moment. As his ax sliced down, he hit something. Screaming mixed with crackling, and a blue force field suddenly formed around Dayna. The dwarf, elf, and small creature, were all thrown backwards. Dayna blinked and noticed that Kylala was cowering in the shadows and Geo was standing with a horrified look, sword in his right hand. "Hold!" A voice shouted. It was kinda late. Dayna smiled slightly, as Kurama stepped out of the forest. They all sat down to a nice bowl of rabbit stew. "So this is the lost princess of twilight huh?" Tnass, the kinder, said in a chippery voice. Dayna blinked, and the elf nodded. "Yep, or so I believe. She's the keeper anyway." Kurama smiled to Dayna, knowing she didn't understand what they were going on about. "Ramineous, hand our princess some more stew, she's still hungry." The elf did as directed, it was easy to see that Kurama was the leader. Tarkin, the dwarf, grumbled, and glared at Kylala, who was begging. Dayna cracked up, almost sending her stew flying. Dayna suddenly sat up. Across from her, Ramineous did the same. Kurama turned around to face the forest, shrugging, he twisted back, and finished his bowl. A light figure stepped out of the shadow, flashing a grin. "Welcome back Lumina, guardian of light." The tall figure bowed. Lumina was dressed all in white. He was obviously a wizard with strong power. "Ahhh I see you found her, welcome back Goddaughter." Dayna's face froze. "BACK!?! GODDAUGHTER?????!!!?????" She blinked. Could I be hearing this man right? Did he know my mother? "I HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE! I KNEW IT!" Everyone stared at her. Geo had fallen backwards off his log. She just couldn't believe he KNEW her. 


	4. Discovery

The firelight flickered on the adventurers, and made the shadows dance in the night. Dayna flipped over on her side, still trying to get to sleep. Lumina's words just kept echoing through her head. "Come here my child." Lumina whispered towards her. She sighed and pulled herself up. The stars shined brightly in the midnight sky. She sighed and eased herself down onto the cliff.  
"Your mother was raised in a town just a little ways off. She had a smile that could light up the whole universe, a glow in her eyes that looked like diamonds shining in firelight, and a spirit like the southern winds, warm and dancing through the world. She grew up without a care in her mind. When she was of age, her mother told her the secret of the family. This secret was only to be shared by the females of the family, and never passed to males, or any other family. She had a future written out for her. She hated that.  
One summer's night she set off, looking for something different. This was when I met her. I could tell she was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders, but when I offered to be her consoling ear, she refused me, laughing. All she told me was she wished to escape her written fate. She begged me to send her to another place, and another time. After a few months of arguing and preparing her, she finally left, never to be seen again by the people of this land. I was her only link. I was there for your birth, and through out your life. One day, when I appeared, she told me she was dying. Her heart couldn't take the change anymore. It was I that wrote you that note. She told me what to write, and I scribbled it down. That was when she named me your godfather, and that is why you can't remember your years after she died, until you reached 18. I had to erase your memory of this place."  
"Your mother was the future Queen of Twilight, the lost queen." he finished, saddened by the story. Dayna silently nodded, too tired to realize the full power of what he was saying. Sleep, sleep is all I need.  
  
The bright morning brought grunts and groans from the campsite. By 10 the whole area had been cleared. There were no signs that anyone had been through there. Kurama smiled and nodded with satisfaction. The seven stopped at a near by falls so that Dayna could get her shower in. It was decided that her godfather, stand watch since he was almost family. Soon the girl was fresh, the water was drawn, and the dog was happily prancing along. Geo walked close to Dayna offering his arm as she stumbled along the rocky path. He caught a smile as he stopped her from falling. Lumina quietly slowed down so he could have a talk with Dayna.  
"Young Dayna, soon we will be coming up on the town of Narlista, the land of the twilight. This is where your mother was raised." Dayna's eyes darted from the road to her Godfather's face, fully grasping his meaning. She nodded, slightly sick. Geo felt a tremor in his dear friend, as she stumbled along, more carelessly than before. He grabbed her waist in alarm. Her saddened eyes barely grazed his face, seeing nothing but a blur. Tears were forming in her eyes, reminding her that she had not forgotten the pain of her mother's death. He whispered a worry for her and she shrugged it off.  
  
"I'll be ok, I just need to get to that stump on the edge of town and rest." Ramineus, sensing that something was wrong, looked back to see Dayna hobbling along. Dayna smiled at him, letting him know she'd be all right. He nodded and continued their way. Dayna collapsed onto the stump, Geo sat on her side. She breathed in deep, fighting her panic attack. Kylala ran over to Tnass, and chased him, making Dayna laugh. Tarkin was grumbling over the whole mess. He had been jostled one too many times and obviously didn't appreciate it. Kylala pounced on him, not fully understanding the fact that he was already furious. The dwarf was easily knocked which made Dayna laugh even more. Kurama and Ramineus were too busy checking out what little stores the, once bustling area, had left. She looked down and smiled at Geo, who was obviously relieved to see her laughing so hard. He fondly smiled back, taking her hand. She was no longer shaking and had turned to face the sun, closing her eyes. The sun seemed to bring out a glow in her he had never seen. It was a mysterious light, shining from within her soul. He noticed her watching again, and flushed, turning towards the humorous scene. Dayna suddenly jumped up, with an odd expression playing across her face. Within seconds Geo was by her side. In a trance-like state, Dayna crossed the road. She gracefully moved in between the mess her dog was making of her companions, causing Geo to run in different directions to keep up with her. She moved past the buildings and down an overgrown path. A dark fog crept in, surrounding the two. Geo reached out and grabbed her hand so as not to loose her, she did not grab back. Her eyes stood, unblinking, on the path ahead. They came upon ruins of what seemed like a large house. The walls were now waist high, at the highest. A few windows once stood on the front, their placing marked by moss. Dayna stepped though without hesitation, Geo stumbling behind her. She crossed the house's previous forier, and continued down the west wing. Her footsteps stopped at a small pile of rocks. Dayna reached down and pushed on a small lump. All at once, the rocks, surrounded by a greenish light, began to jump in the air and swirl around. Geo watched in astonishment, wondering where his dear friend remembered this. The rocks danced for a few minuets, then fell, outlining a rectangular shape. A door appeared in the middle of the stoned outline, and the light vanished. The essence of Dayna, pulled at the rusty handle and swung the door open. The hinges groaned, proving it had not been used in a while. The girl began her journey down the spiral staircase, followed directly by Geo.  
The tunnel was dark, only lit by the glow of Dayna's staff. The temperature dropped about 40 degrees and they continued to descend further. The walls were damp, and smelled of earth and rotten fruit. They finally reached the bottom, a cobblestone floor. Geo shivered and pulled his cloak around him and tried to block out the damp smell from his nose. He spotted a small box in the left hand corner, and realized this was their destination.  
  
Dayna had finally reached her senses. She had stopped dead in front of the deep metal box, and shivered. Gathering up her cloak, she began to button it down the front. Her eyes darted around the dark room. "Where the hell are we?" She asked Geo. He rushed by her side and shrugged. Turning her head, she noticed the box. She confusingly dug in her pocket and brought out a flat key, seemingly made out of nickel. It was worn smooth, and held an unusual warmth. Steadying her hand, Dayna carefully slid it into the key slot in the box. It was a perfect fit. Her heart began to pound, and her hands started shaking. Slowly, she turned the key to the right. It seamed like forever till she heard a soft click. Slower still, the lid came up, opening on it's own. Geo looked up, and almost got a drip in his eye. He could hear the voices on the ground above. He turned towards Dayna, who was gasping. In her hands was a book, thick and bound in leather. He grabbed her hand, and pulled her away. "I have a bad feeling those voices aren't from our friends. Dayna turned, now hearing the voices. She nodded in agreement, and suddenly whispered words she never knew. A door appeared in place of the box. They both pulled at the handle and yanked it open, running before the voices reached the floor. The door vanished just as Geo slammed it shut.  
  
Kurama and Lumina wandered through the forest surrounding the ruins. "Do you think she found her old home Lumina?" "I'm almost certain of it Kurama." "But that's where the goblins were heading. The must have been told of the book. They better be alive. Lumina chuckled. "That girl knows quite a bit more than she realizes. 


	5. last arive

Screaming, Dayna woke from a bad dream. Her blankets had been kicked off, her night dress was tousled, her hair was a mess, and she was freezing cold. She slipped on her robe and pilled on shoes, and carefully opened the door to her room. He had killed her again. God how she hated that dream. It always went the same way. the whole group was all in a battle agenst a darkness. Spreading out, they devastated the goblin force attacking them. The Geo ran to face her. She smiled at him and he smiled back, a glint in his eyes. Then he raised his sword and. She shook her head trying to rid the thought. No he'd never do that.  
  
Dayna reached her friend's door. She slowly opened it and peered in softly. He was lying in his bed peacefully. Tears blurred her vision as she closed the door, and slid down the wall, falling onto the floor. She blinked, trying to clear her eyes but it was no use. Pulling herself up, she crossed to the stairs and left the hotel.  
  
Her feet echoed through the frosty night air as she ran down the well beaten path. Every few minuets, she tripped and fell, only to get back up and run faster. Fire seemed to scorch her face and ice covered her toes. Still she carried on, covered in mud and blood. One final time, she collapsed on the ground and drag herself to the pond. She feverishly threw the cold water on her face, trying to cool herself down. Then crawled back and held her knees, burying her face.  
  
Dayna perked up her ears. Footsteps sounded on the hollow ground, making her scramble to find her dagger. She tensed nervously and waited. catching the shadows off guars she screamed and held a knife to the throat of Kurama. "Nice to see you, too." He commented, smiling slightly. He had brought two people with him.  
One was a tall male about 24, the other was a girl about 21. Dayna smiled warmly and tried to fix her appearance, with no luck. "The first is Keiser Reichshardt. and the second is Laurana." Keiser looked at Dayna oddly, but slowly inclined his head, and Laurana smiled sweetly. "I didn't know you would be up this late, but Keiser spotted you running, so we figured you needed help." He nodded at Keiser and the two helped Dayna up and all four walked back to the hotel. Kurama stayed with Dayna a little while longer to hear the story, and make sure she got to bed. then he was off.  
  
The adventurers gathered their belongings and left the old village. Dayna strayed over towards Keiser and Kurama, but was followed closely by Geo. She sighed, knowing full well that she couldn't avoid him forever. The sun was shining brightly, warming her face. A smile played across her face. Her gaze shifted and she cautiously glanced at Geo. He smiled brightly but sensed something was wrong. She turned her head away from his questioning eyes, sighing to herself.  
"We're here." Kurama stated, smiling with satisfaction. Tnass sniffed the air then led everyone to the left. There in the corner, sitting in the shadows, was a tall man with light brown hair. He stood up and bowed. His dark brown cloak falling to his ankles. He smiled warmly and took Dayna's hand.  
  
"Good day milady." He smiled brightly. Dayna blushed lightly and returned the greeting. Kurama chuckled lightly.  
"This is Brew. He is incredibly quick with a sword and had agreed to join us." The man smiled again.  
  
The night seemed to gleam with brilliance. Dayna had never seen the stars so bright. She smiled and shivered lightly. The fire was dying slowly, and the shadows were creeping in quickly. It was the first time she had seen the three moons. She sighed happily, then squinted. The white moon was being blocked out. Dayna got a deep shiver and looked around. Down towards the city, flames were erupting. "Kurama! The city!" she shouted, trying to sound clear. She could see the fire rushing towards them, blazing in furry. Her eyes focused on one spot. Something looked out of place. Suddenly a face appeared in the flames and winked. 


	6. First struggle

Screaming was coming from all sides, rushing at them like a tidal wave. Dayna whispered a few words that she had studied from the book. The sky seemed to get lighter, driving the black and stench of dying people. Kylala slowly raised her self up from the ground, having fallen there because of the smell. Laurana nodded at the dog and whispered a few words, blocking scents from Kylala. Lumina glided forward, white robes flowing behind him. In just a few minuets, they were submerged into a swarm of goblins. Dayna swung her staff around, knocking a few unconscious. Buying herself some time, she whispered a few words. The ground began to shake, throwing a few goblins off balance. The sky seemed to open up, and a blazing rock shot through the air. The goblins stared blankly upward, and were soon scorched and crushed to death. The ball disappeared with a flash and left no trail. More goblins surged forward. She swung her sword wildly. A burning pain shot through her arm. Tears came to her eyes but she shook them away. Anger boiled in her blood and she screamed a battle cry. The goblins looked up, eyes wide.  
A glowing aura surrounded Dayna as she plunged forward. The heat behind her pulled her forward. She heard no sounds of Tnass's hoofpak screaming in the air, nothing of Laurana or Lumina's spells, no battle cries of Tarkin, nor the snarling of Kylala. She shoved her sword forward, cutting thrusting and tearing the goblins apart. Another of her opponents swerved to catch her off guard. His sword sliced through the air, whistling as it went. It suddenly bounced off of what looked like thin air. Dayna's spell wrapped her in an invisible shield. She turned and knocked him dead, with her staff.  
  
Geo called from the north. The sun was beginning to set. Dayna dashed to his aid, clobbering the last goblin that stood between her and her friend. She offered him her hand, and he took it. They looked around and noticed the army had fallen back. She turned towards Brew questioningly. He shrugged and wiped his bloodstained hand on his pants. Ramineous furrowed his brow and stared eastward. Dayna understood and looked up too. There in the sky, she saw it. Hordes of dragons. Sighing, she turned and looked around. Laurana was casting a spell over Tnass while Tarkin was fussing. Kurama moved toward her and she welcomed him gently. "You have to pay attention to yourself love." He commented while smiling, then he muttered a few words healing her arm wound. The companions shivered, dragonfear rushing over them. There were 5 blue dragons in count, all with riders. They swept down gracefully, trying to prey on the group. Dayna ducked and rolled out of the way of a claw and jumped up, ready to strike. The man on back smiled loosely. Their swords clinked, throwing Dayna slightly off balance. She quickly parried and dragged him off his mount. She stabbed him in his chest, muttering a counter curse agenst the dragon's fiery breath. It roared with anger and lashed out at her. She quickly dodged right and cut its nostril. It's head reared back in pain, and she swung at it's heart, the jumped away to look at the scene.  
  
Dayna let out a scream. Keiser was walking forward, sword raised in a salute. He faced a huge black dragon, it's eyes glaring. Crying, he surged forward, throwing all his weight onto his front leg. The dragonrider countered and threw Keiser to the side. He quickly pulled himself up and ran again, hitting the rider in the shoulder. The dragon wiped its head around, knocking the wind out of Keiser. He fell to the ground and laid there. The dragon let out a burst of flame, catching its prey off guard. He pulled himself up, ablaze, then surged forward. With his last strength, he plunged the sword deep into the rider. There his strength failed him. He fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Dayna screamed out a spell of water, drowning him. She slid by his side, and grasped his hand. He smiled weakly as tears streamed down her face. "Do not cry, I go to a better place." He brushed away her tears with his fingers, then took her hand and kissed it. Slowly his hand lowered. The light faded from his eyes. His head rolled to the side, and there he stayed, motionless. The sky was dark and a speck flew away from the battle. Dayna let out a cry and fell, sobbing, to her side.  
  
A fire burned heavily in the night. A heavy hearted girl laid there, unable to sleep. She could just barely make out the armor of her dear friend Keiser. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. If this was just the first battle, what would the second one be like. "Get some sleep." A horse voice whispered to her. She turned and looked into the eyes of Geo. His smile had faded and he looked old. Dayna slowly nodded and pulled her sleeping bag closer around her, shivering. 


	7. endings and a future

Top of Form 1

Bottom of Form 1

The light from the fire slowly faded. Dayna breathed deeply, watching the sparkle fade, the last bit of flesh from Keiser's body. Her fingers tingled from rage as a soft glow ignited in them. She felt her body grow warmer, almost like there was an arm around her shoulder. Her sight slowly faded as she drifted out of the world.  
  
A soft whisper breathed in Dayna's ear. She fought herself to awaken. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and slowly the face of Geo came into focus. She blinked up at him sleepily. He smiled and brushed a remaining tear from off her cheek. "Awaken, little one" he said with a soft smirk playing across his face. Her face nodded as she pulled herself up, groaning. The sun was still climbing its way to half mast as the group quickly gobbled down breakfast.  
With a longing glance at the burial place, Dayna strode onward to join the rest. Her footsteps were surprisingly light as a heavy burden was lifted off her shoulders. Even her smile seemed brighter. She glanced up to see Geo watching her and they both turned away, blushing. Laurana drifted over to Dayna and threw her arm around the blonde's shoulder. "You seem chipper today, wazzup?" Dayna laughed and shook her head.  
"I just feel a strange presence, like Keiser is watching over us." She shook her head. "It's crazy, right?" Laurana cackled in merriment and winked.  
"Yeah, but that's who we are, the insanitys of the group." She glomped Dayna then trotted forward to hook arms with Kurama.  
  
The shadows crept in as the mountain grew darker. The clouds swirled around, and sucked into a cave near the top. Eyes winked from out of the darkness. A deep laugh rang down to the valley, bouncing off the emptiness in the mountain chain. The wind blew from the north, bringing with it, the harsh rains.  
  
Dayna's ears perked up and she ducked just in time. A sack with herbs exploded in Geo's face. He coughed and sputtered as Dayna cracked up. Two children rushed out of the bushes, their faces dropping as they saw the leftovers of their pouch. They lunged at Geo, claws ready. They tore his shirt, licking the sides of their hairline. The children were gone, and in place were two lizards, they licked their lips menacingly. The clouds came in, blackening the sky prematurely. Geo pulled out his sword with his left hand, his right hanging weakly at his side. He struck the first monster as the second leaped after Dayna. She chanted as her eyes turned yellow. Glowing strings jumped from her hands and swirled around her. The lizard continued forward and a jolt of lightening shot out and fried him to a crisp. More came over the hill and charged at the group. Tnass swung his hopak and knocked one unconscious. Ramineous jabbed his sword into two. Water tore through the thick air as metal clanged.  
  
Dirt flew through the air burying lifeless bodies. Tarkin's knee broke as a lizard ran into it. He gritted his teeth and bore his ax down on its head. Laurana ran over and chanted. A swirl of light surrounded the dwarf and he was healed. Rocks rained down like comets in a meteor shower. Screams rang from all around, shaking the ground to its core. Dayna closed her eyes and chanted. Fire flew from her fingers surrounding the rest of the lizards. Flames engulfed the screaming mass and they were nothing more than ashes. She sighed and collapsed. The darkness took her quickly.  
  
Dayna sat up with a jolt. A strange man was wiping sweat off her forehead. His sky blue eyes gleamed as she looked at him. He had black hair and wore a simple brown tunic with chain armor. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up to seating position, then hurried off. She looked confusingly at Laurana. The elf maiden smiled back and winked. "His name is Jes. He seems to have a little thing for you." She laughed and moved toward Kurama. Dayna turned to the stars, just as Kurama wrapped his arms around his love. She sighed and shook her head. Lumina flowed over and sat down. He smiled and took her hands into his.  
  
"My child. The time has come for me to depart. I have taught you all I know and now it's time for you to make your life without me." Dayna's eyes welled up with tears. Yet she knew it was time. "You have so many thoughts swirling around in your head. You think too much, got that from your mother." He paused to chuckle then cough. He straightened himself and began again. "Your troubles will fade away to nothing before you leave here. Don't worry, it's all going according to plan." He smiled and embraced her. "You will be fine my child. If you ever need me, you know where to find me. Just breathe out, light the candle, and call on me." He let go, and kissed her forehead. Dayna opened her eyes and noticed that the area was covered with a warm, soft, white mist. Lumina smiled and slowly let go of her hand. The mist disappeared, as quickly as it had come, carrying him with it. She broke down, pulling her knees to her chest, and burying her head. An arm slid over her back and around her shoulder. She sat there for hours, crying her eyes out, with Jes's arm around her, sheltering her from her fears.


End file.
